Introduction: Not My Grandmother’s Skillet One pan to rule them all. One meal to feed them all.
Cast iron pans are often passed down from generation to generation. Fond memories of grandmother’s frying chicken or making cakes in their perfectly seasoned skillets. Mother’s simmering stews or roasting meats in the Dutch oven all day long. Their children and grand-children inheriting precious family heirlooms and long-lived recipes as they receive these skillets when they move into homes of their own.
Well, my grandmother did own cast iron pans. And they were passed down to my mother. But honestly, I never saw either of them cook a single meal with those skillets once. I found our “heirlooms” rusted and dry in a box tucked into the corner of my parents’ basement, simply by accident when looking for other kitchen utensils. The matriarchs in my family were not of the cooking persuasion, so their cast iron was abused and abandoned. But something about these skillets made them keep them around anyway. And, I’m sure glad they did.
As a budding chef, I accidentally discovered our family’s cast iron skillets, rust-covered and lonely, one day while rummaging through boxes. I literally hugged them in my arms and jumped for joy (which is difficult to do….they are quite heavy). After much research, trial and error, and a few bad meals (but a lot of good ones to follow), I was able to revive these forgotten relics and start to make meal-time memories of my own. In the years that followed, I expanded my collection from a few forgotten skillets to a range of Dutch ovens, grill pans, and a few specialty cast iron items, as well.
Perhaps like my grandmother and mother, you are wary of cooking with cast iron. Yes, they do require a bit of work (but, isn't anything that is worthwhile?), and they are heavy enough to squash even the most audacious arachnid. But with a little knowledge and practice, you might discover that your cast iron skillet may become the most reached-for cookware in your kitchen. Naturally non-stick, an ace at achieving perfect sears on proteins and golden crusts on baked goods, these pans are here for the long run. As we learn to make these one-pan meals together, I’ll show you how to perfectly care for your cast iron so they last for generations to come.
The results of finding a hidden treasure-trove of long-forgotten cast iron? This cookbook, which includes a range of recipes for every palate and skill level, from simple and easy to a bit more challenging (but never out of reach). Whether it’s a normal weeknight (or morning) meal, to a celebratory dinner with family and friends, to a cookout in the backyard, you’ll find something to please every diner.
Though there are many cast iron books available on the market, few focus specifically on one-dish meals. I love sides, sauces, condiments, and baked goods as much as the next person, but this book is all about the center stage. It’s time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or breakfast-for-dinner, if that’s your thing), all in one skillet, all ready to go. Because we’re busy, we’re hungry, and we’re ready to get out of the kitchen and do other things with our time.
It may not have the shine of copper or the sparkle of Teflon, but cast iron is here for the long run. It’s affordable, it’s versatile, and it’s useful. And, if you learn how to properly take care of it and use it, it will be a life-long companion. Heck, you can even pass it down to your children and grandchildren. It’s the everyday pan for the everyday cook for the everyday meal.
Copyright © 2022 by Jackie Freeman. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
